Indigenous Food System Changemakers to Follow Now

November 17th, 2021

Being involved in Indigenous food is to be an activist. For many years, tribes across North America were forbidden from practicing their traditional ways of life by post-colonial governments and society. Because of this, many traditions were lost during the Indigenous genocide and cultural extermination that took place in North America. The goal was to rid tribes of generational wisdom and cause them to assimilate into colonial America. 

But Indigenous people are resilient. Despite these horrific practices, cultural traditions remain, passed on from one generation to the next with food often at the center. A wave of Indigenous chefs, bloggers, cookbook writers, podcasters, and activists are working to preserve the cultural ways of their ancestors, teach us what pre-colonial food is, and show us the inequities in the food system for Indigenous people. Food sovereignty has come to the forefront of many conversations, given many Native populations have limited access to their native lands and healthy, affordable food.

Tips For Hosting a Zero Waste Thanksgiving

November 22, 2021

Turkey, pumpkin pie, stuffing, yeasty dinner rolls, cranberry sauce — it's hard not to get carried away when planning for Thanksgiving, given the myriad of holiday favorites. But did you know: Every Thanksgiving Americans throw away 200 million pounds of turkey after the holiday?

In fact, Americans produce about 25 percent more waste from Thanksgiving to New Years, according to a Stanford University study. From food waste to excessive packaging, the holidays can be expensive and contribute significantly to landfill waste.

But this waste and overspending doesn't have to happen. By taking the time before Thanksgiving to make a mindful plan for the day and meal, you can waste less food and spend less money.